Hoops exit

“Nobody had more imagination when it came to spotting the opportunity for an improbable and devastating pass, or threading a ball through crowding defenders.

“But like all truly exceptional players, he did something extravagant only when it was necessary.

“I knew the previous summer, when I was longing for someone who would lift our already formidable forces to another plane, I had been imagining a footballer very much like Eric Cantona. I knew, too, that some pretty spectacular performances were on the way.